A century ago there was a significant scare across the country of Blood Hounds. People were afraid that these passive, though large animals were being trained to hunt and kill humans. Following World War II there were massive fears of the newly bred German Shepherd Dog. People believed these highly intelligent, strong dogs were dangerous because of their origins in Germany. The 1980's saw an increase in fear of Doberman Pinschers and Rottweilers and today Public Enemy # 1 is of course the Staffordshire Terrier - more commonly known as the Pit Bull.
However the recent disaster of Super Storm Sandy has led to an increase in the number of homeless animals and many of these animals are Pit Bulls. Rescue workers and volunteers are beginning to see these animals for what they really are, loving affectionate animals of extremely high intelligence. That intelligence, along with their natural power is what leads people to breed these animals for illegal dog fighting. The Michael Vick case has, in a strange way, helped the overall image of Pit Bulls. People are seeing these creatures as victims and not villains... they, like all creatures, are products of their environment; if raised in a life of violence the animal will be violent - raise in a loving home and the animal will be a loving addition to any family.
During the floods of 2010, the Warwick Animal Shelter flooded and I fostered a Pit Bull until the shelter could re-open. Her name was Fiona, and she was a lovable, shy, timid girl who loved to play with Trouble (Golden Retriever) and Isis (German Shepherd).
Pit Bulls are not dangerous, people who make them aggressive are the dangerous ones.
Below is the Top 10 most feared dogs in United States.
10. Dalmatian
9. Boxer
8. Presa Canario
7. Chow Chow
6. Doberman
5. Alaskan Malamute
4. Husky
3. German Shepherd
2. Rottweiler
1. Put Bull